Process of producing gas.



GM J, GREENSTREET.

PROGBSS 0F PRoDUGNG GAS..

APPLIGATIJN FILED FEB. 28, 1909.

CHARLES J.- GREEN-STREET, OF ALTON, ILLINOIS.

PROCESS OF PRODUCIG GASA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 15, 1908.

Application lfiled February 28, 1908. Serial No. 418,266.

i To all whom 'itvmcy concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES J. GREEN- sTREET, a citizen'of' the United States of America, residing in Alton, in the county of Madison and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Processes of ProducinOr Gas, o which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing; forming part of this speciiication.

In theburning of limestone'for the commercial production of quicklime there is evolved, as is well known, an incombustible carbon dioxid gas and it has been customary heretofore to permit such gas to escape to the atmosphere without making any use thereof.

My invention relates to a method whereby such heretofore considered worthless carbon dioxid gas, as far as fuel, light and power pu oses are concerned, may be utilized in pro ucing a most valuable combination of gases for light, heat and power purposes.

In carrying out my method I place` the limestone in a retort of any common description, such as those at present in use in gas works, and, by subjecting the retort to heat, bring the limestone to a proper heat and inject into the retort steam or super-heated steam. The gases arising from the limestone are then permitted to pass through carbonaceous matter heated to a proper heat, thus forming methane, ethane, carbon monoXid and hydrogen, in varying proportions, de-

pendent upon the degree of heat in the gases while passing through the heated carbona ceous matter', the tem' eratr e of the carbonaceous matter an the rapidity with which the o eration is conducted.

To provi e for increase in the heating and illuminating quality of the gas produced in following my method, I may introduce into the retort containing the limestone and with the steam injected into said retort, a quantity of oil, such as crude petroleum which acts, in passing over or through the heated limestone and carbonaceous matter', to break these substances up into highly combustible gases suitable for increasing the candle-power and heat units of the gas. The same result may also be accomplished by associating with the limestone a small amount of calcium carbid which will become decomposed, due to the injection of steam into the retort.

An important point to which I wish to direct attention relative to the use el steam in carrying out my process is that the steamY facilitates the burning of the limestone for the reason that it breaks up the carbonate into its constituent parts, viz: free lime (calcium oXid) and carbonic acid gas at -a much lower temperature and more rapidly than when heat is a plied alone in the burning of limestone. his is a valuable feature in that it results in a saving of both fuel and time in the production ofgas.

In carrying out my process I preferably use with the carbonaceous matter employed, such as the heavy viscous waste or residue that results from the distillation of crude pe troleum in the production of the commercial products acquiredtherefrom, such as naphtha, gasolene and coal oils, or other carbonaceous matter, such as coal, charcoal, coke, saw-dust or peat in combination with'any nonvolatile carbonate, such as calcium or magnesium or copper.

By producing gas in the manner described, -I am enabled to produce the gas without greater costs than has heretofore been counted upon in the making of quick lime, there being obtained approximately fifteen thousand to twenty thousand cubic feet of gas of highest heat value per ton of limestone rock and carbonaceous material, dependent upon the qualities of the carbonaceous matters used.

The accompanying drawing is a vertical. section through a. furnace that maybe used in carrying out my method. This furnace contains two retorts 1 and 2 that are united by a connection 3 and placed one above another.

In carrying out my method I preferably introduce the limestone or carbonate into the lower retort l and inject steam into said retort through' a steam conducting pipe .4. The gas arising from the limestone or other carbonate passes through the connection 3 and mingles with the gas produced from the placed in the ien finds esretorts i and 2 communicate with each other und that they, to all intents and purposes, serve es a single retort.

claim:

1. The method of producing gas', which consists in introducing e mineral carbonate and e carboneceous metter into e re tort, subj jecting saidv retort to heat, end injecting steam into seid retort.

2. The method of producing ges, which consists in introducing limestone and e oerbonaeeous metter into' e retort, subjecting said retort to heat and injecting steam into said retort.

3. .The method of producing ges, which consists in introducing limestone and a oar- 1oonuceous matter into e retort, subjecting the retort to heat, injecting steam into sai retort and combining with said limestone an oil or analogous substance to raise the illu- 20 petroleum into e retort and subjecting seid 25 retort to heat, and injecting steem into said retort.

ones. J. GRENSTREET.

In presence of* BLANCHE HOGAN, WM. H. SCOTT. 

